Ekka, the new Kannada movie starring Yuva Rajkumar, released on July 18 and has been doing really well at the box office. After months of no big hits in Sandalwood, this film seems to have finally brought people back to theatres. The makers said the film had 80 to 90 percent occupancy in theatres across Karnataka, and many shows even went housefull, which hadn’t happened in a long time. This strong response is being seen as a good sign for the industry.
The film was made quite fast. Shooting started in January 2025, and it hit screens by July, with all the post-production work done in just six months. It was produced by three big production houses — PRK Productions, KRG Studios, and Jayanna Films. The team is happy with the film’s performance, and they’ve even said they might increase the number of screens if needed because more people are going to watch it every day.
The story of Ekka follows Muthu, a simple man from a village, who ends up getting involved in the city’s criminal world after he saves the life of a gangster. Things take a dark turn after that, and Muthu finds himself fighting between his old, peaceful life and the violent world he’s now part of. The film tries to show how someone can be pulled into a bad path even if they start with good intentions.
However, not everyone liked the film. Some film critics gave it a low rating, saying the story felt old and predictable. They also felt that Yuva Rajkumar didn’t get a strong enough role to really show his talent. The songs and camera work were nice, but the second half of the film felt confusing and full of unnecessary violence. The review also pointed out that the female characters were poorly written and didn’t have much importance in the story.
In short, Ekka is a film that audiences are enjoying, but critics aren’t very impressed. It’s doing great at the box office and has brought some hope back to Kannada cinema. But from a creative point of view, it didn’t meet expectations. Still, for now, the audience seems happy — and that’s what’s keeping the film alive.